Tammy Leigh Brooks

From the smallest wall cocks and wall hens to the oversized 28” bust named Big Head #2, Tammy Leigh Brooks’ sculptures come alive in her Hickory studio.   When I visited, Tammy was in the process of glazing “Tom” the wild turkey, the newest addition to her Feathered Family.  Her pieces are made with a combination of wheel-thrown, coil-built and slab work that she carefully builds into the shape of the bird.  Then she begins the painstaking process of sculpting each individual feather, eye and wattle. Surrounded by photographs and sketches of a wild turkey, she used a range of colors to bring each feather into focus as she prepared him for his walk to the kiln in her backyard.  “Each piece is a new adventure” she says.  Tammy explained that when she takes a new piece to the kiln she must be alone, without any distractions, as she carefully walks the path while chanting “Don’t trip, don’t trip” to herself.

Born in Hickory in 1960, Tammy spent days in the care of a neighbor lady “Miss Viola” who babysat the neighborhood kids while their parents worked.  Miss Viola raised chickens and of course 4-year-old Tammy didn’t understand when Miss Viola beheaded one of the chickens for that night’s dinner.  Tammy feels that witnessing the event led her to her love all of God’s creatures - especially chickens. 

In 1992, a co-worker asked Tammy to come with her to an evening art class at the Hickory Museum of Art.  While her co-worker couldn’t stand getting her hands dirty or decide what to make, Tammy embraced the medium of hand building (RAKU) clay with gusto.  After attending a couple of other introductory classes and getting her hands really dirty, Tammy decided in 1994 to quit her job of 16 years with the phone company and devote herself to her art.

For the first 10 years of her 2^nd career, Tammy created fairly complex designs, “lots of grapes and calla lilies” as she says.  But that all changed when a customer begged Tammy to make her a chicken.  Tammy found her niche and has become known as the” Rooster Queen” “Chicken Mom” and “Guinea Goddess” sculpting roosters, hens and chicks and game birds.  While she gets inspiration from the actual breeds of foul, she takes creative license to “Keep it Fun!” She has the uncanny ability to give each of her pieces their own unique personality. With their heads cocked inquisitively and their knowing looks, you feel that the pieces are alive.  And since Tammy names, dates and numbers each piece, you’ll find yourself looking at some of the pieces and recognizing the personality for which she named them -r “LongneckRedneck”, “Susie Pauline” (named for her grandmother), “Ol’ Helmet Head”, “Soldier” and “Mr. September”to name a few.  The rooster she named “The Illinois Governor” sports feathers on his head that perfectly capture Blagojevich’s unique hair style and it’s a hoot! 

While her pieces can be whimsical, her attention to detail, artistic perception and depth of research moves her work from just pottery to fine art. In 2007, Tammy was one of only three potters included in the group of 28 passionate artists from around the world invited to participate in the Legendary Raw Arts Festival in New York City. Tammy is now recognized as one of the area’s leading “Raw Artists” (one who is self taught and creates fine art) and exhibits her work at local and national pottery shows, most recently at the Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival in Hickory on March 27th.  Over the past six years,  Tammy has been invited as one of the selected 40 artists to show her art at the Mint Museum’s Annual Potter’s Market Invitational (September 11, 2010) and at the 2^nd annual Folk Art Festival at Lake Norman sponsored by the Hickory Museum of Art (Sherrills Ford October 2, 2010).

Her extraordinary, one-of-a -kind creations have a huge following among serious folk art collectors and have found homes throughout the world: a Christmas ornament hangs in the City Hall of Sydney, Australia; a simple copper red vase (which was fired in Burlon Craig’s historic groundhog kiln) was delivered last month to Ecuador; Big Head #1 is now prominently displayed on the grand piano of a famous county singer in Nashville; and “His Royal Highness”, her sculpture of an award-winning White Crested BlackPolish Cock, resides in the UK with breeders /publishers Clare and T.J. Beebe.

“It’s nice to spread all that positive, creative energy globally. Other human beings can connect and receive joy. I just love that!” exclaims Tammy

Tammy’s mantra for other Boomers who are contemplating a new direction in life:   "KEEP IT SIMPLE, FREE, AND TRUE…your life and your spirit….nurture and celebrate your passions….hang around the positive energies in the universe…no use in wasting time!”

Check out her sexy chickens and other feathered friends at: www.tammyleighbrooks.com  and, mark your calendars!  You won’t want to miss the Folk Art Festival at Lake Norman in September for the opportunity to meet Tammy and her feathered friends.